Hazing Techniques
Predator Scent
Predator Scent is one of the many tools at our disposal to humanely evict wildlife. Often referred to as the "eviction notice", the product itself is scat or urine saturated den straw from the mountain lions, bobcats, wolf dogs and coyotes that reside at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue. The strong odor from the scat and straw is a warning to animals and strong encouragement to leave the area. You can purchase predator scent from SCWR and apply it to areas frequented by wildlife. Predator scent is most successful with raccoons, opossums, skunks, foxes and even coyotes. This is a temporary deterrent and some animals, even within the species recommended above, are more sensitive to it than others.
Predator Scent Pricing:
$40 for a quart size bag of scat
$30 for a bag of predator scent straw
*The availability of predator scent is not always guaranteed and we frequently have a waiting list during our high demand months. If you are interested in purchasing predator scent, please call to check availability prior to arriving at Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue.
Loud Noises
Animals have a natural fear of humans. You can use this to your advantage by getting as big as possible and yelling at the animal, chasing them away by banging pots and pans together, or shaking a can full of rocks. This must be done consistently to be effective.
Spraying with Water or Using Motion Sensor Sprinklers
Water is a good deterrent for wildlife. Spraying the animal with a hose or investing in motion sensor sprinklers will often times scare animals away.
Decoys
Decoys may be effective at scaring away wildlife but are high maintenance as they have to be moved at least once a day.
Reflective streamers have been proven to be effective against birds.
Other Scent Driven Deterrents
Scent driven deterrents such as mothballs, cayenne, and ammonia can be used but have a very low success rate as they are lacking the actual pheromones found in predator scat and urine. We recommend predator scent over these types of deterrents.
Electric Fencing
For animals with the ability to climb that are not easily deterred, electric fencing can be a good investment.